Multiple buck pressing machine



May 11, 1948. -w. A. JOHNSTON MULTIPLE BUCK PRESSING MACHINE 7 Filed June 29 r1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l Faeni.

' INVENTOR WILLIAM A.Jou-sr0-.

ATTORNEY y 1943- w. A. JOHNSTON 2,441,358

MULTIPLE BUCK PRESSING MACHINE Filed June 29, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WILLIAM AJonNs'ron.

ATTORNEY Patented May 11, 1948 MULTIPLE BUCK PRESSIN G MACHINE William A. Johnston, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 29, 1944, Serial No. 542,704

7 Claims.

My invention relates to pressing machines and has for an object to provide improved apparatus of this kind.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved presser having a power-operated shoe, which is automatically moved into and out of registry with the buck during engagement and disengagement of the shoe and buck, respectively.

A still further object of the invention is to prevent operation of a presser of the multiple buck type during periods when the operator is adjusting the multiple buck structure to a desired position, whereby injury to the operator and damage to the machine are precluded.

It is another object of my invention to provide, in a presser of the multiple buck type, improved means for engaging and disengaging the shoe and the buck selected for operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fluid-operated mechanism for engaging and disengaging the shoe and buck of a pressing machine and for moving the shoe and buck out of registry during periods when the shoe and buck are disengaged.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line II of Fig. 2, and showing a pressing machine constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention, portions of the mechanism being broken away for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1, portions of the frame structure being removed;

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 2 and illustrating a second embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawing, I have shown my invention applied to a presser of the domestic type and including a casing or frame, generally shown at 10, a multiple buck structure or turret ll rotatable relative the frame ID, a heated shoe l2 cooperating with the buck structure I I, and motor -driven mechanism, generally shown at 13, for actuating the shoe 12.

The casing or frame includes end walls M and I5 and a frontwall structure, shown at "[6 and extending between the end walls 14 and E5. The

upper portion of the front wall l6' adjacent the buck structure II is curved, as shown at H, to

2 provide clearance for the rotatable buck structure II. The bottom portion of the front wall l6 extends forwardly, as shown at l8, to define a foot rest for the operator. The back of the casing I0 is provided with a rear wall 19 which extends from the top of the casing 10 downwardly to a region spaced above the lowermost portion of the casing [0, as shown at 2|.

The turret or buck structure ll includes a plurality of bucks 22 to 25, inclusive, which are of different configuration or size to provide for the pressing of different kinds of flatwork and garments. For example, the buck 22, which is of large size, may be generally rectangular for the pressingof flatwork, and the buck 24 is of tapered configuration,similar to the end of a conventional ironing board, for the pressing of large tubular garments such as women's dresses. The buck 23 may be shaped for the reception of complicated garments, for example, mens shirts, and the buck 25 may be a relatively narrow buck for the single-thickness ironing of sleeves or other small tubular garments. As the construction of the various bucks is well understood in the art, no further description of the bucks is deemed necessary.

The various bucks 22 to 25, inclusive, are carried by respective supports 26, which may be hollow as shown in Fig. 2, and the inner ends of the supports 26 are secured to a rotatable shaft 21, which may be tubular as shown in Fig. 1. The opposite ends of the shaft 21 provide journals which are rotatably supported by bearings 28, the latter being supported by the ends 29a of a rigid U-shaped member 29. The terminal portions 29a of the U-shaped member 29 are secured, in any well-understood manner, to the end walls I 4 and I5.

The buck structure II is manually rotatable within the bearings 28 to selectively dispose the bucks 22 to 25, inclusive, in their pressing positions. The buck structure It is retained in its selected position by indexing means, including a disc or plate 31, secured, in any well-understood manner, to the left-hand endof the tubular shaft 21, as viewed in Fig. 2. The disc 31 is provided with a plurality of notches 32 in its periphery, the number of notches corresponding to the number of bucks employed. The disc 31 and shaft 21, and, therefore, the buck structure Hare retained in their selected positions by a finger 33 extending within one of the notches 32, as best shown in Fig. 1. structure to a different position, the finger 33 is withdrawn from the notch 32'and the buck struc- In order to shift the buck a ienate nually rotated. The means for withdra g the from the slots 32 includes a foot-operated push button 34 projecting upwardly through one end of the foot plate [8 and connected to a lever 35 pivoted beneath the foot plate id, as shown at 36. The lever 35 is connected, by means of a rod 31, to a second lever 38 pivoted to the rear wall l8, as best shown in Fig. l, and supporting the finger 33. A spring 39 biases the push button 3 8, the rod 31' and the finger 33 upwardly, so that the latter is disposed in the notch 32. When the operator'depresses the push button 34, the finger 33 is withdrawn from the notch 32 and the buck structure may then be moved to any of its active positions.

The shoe l2, which is heated preferably by eleccylinder 45, the shoe i2 is disengaged from the buck structure.

A seal 60 of any well-known construction is employed for preventing loss of fluid from the reservoir 5| through the journal of the shaft 51. Furthermore, the lower end of the impeller 55 bears against the upper end of the boss 59 and prevents passage of oil from the reservoir 5! to the shaft 51 particularly during the inactive period of the shaft 51. Pressure is maintained between "the impeller 56 and the boss 53 by a compression ported by the l5 trical heaters (not shown), is supported by 'adownwardly-extending bracket or arm arranged at the rear of the casing ID. The lower end of the arm M is bifurcated, as shown at 32 (Fig. 2), and carried by pivots' i? fixed to a movable portion of the motor-driven mechanism as. Further reference to the support and movement or the shoe [2 as it is actuated by the motor-driven mechanism 13, appears hereinafter. The motordriven mechanism 13 will now be described.

The motor-driven shoe actuating mechanism 43 comprises a stationary piston dd secured to the mid portion of the U-shaped member 2s and arranged within a movable cylinder 45. The latter is mounted for reciprocatory movement axially of the piston M. As best shown in Fig. 4., the cylinder 45 includes a headed, having an opening entrally disposed therein and constituting the inlet for a fluid translating pump to be described hereinafter. An outer cylinder wall 48, having a head 5 9 at its lower end, is concentrically arranged with respect to the cylinder 4%., the space intervening defining a fluid reservoir 51. A plate 52 is arranged in the bottom of the cylinder 55, in spaced relation with the head 46 thereof to form a pump chamber 5%. The latter communicates with the interior of the cylinder 55 by means of a plurality of circumferentially-spaced openings '54 formed in the periphery of the plate 5.2.

A centrifugal runner or impeller 55, having a pluralit of vanes 55 iormed, thereon, is arranged in the pump chamber 53 axially of the opening ii in the cylinder d5. otherwise secured to a shaft '51, driven by an electric motor 53 and journaled in a boss 5% formed in the head 19. The cylinders 35 and at and the motor 58 move as a unit axially of the piston A to operate the shoe l2, which unit is biased upwardly to its shoe disengaged position by means of a pair of tension springs El, carried at their upper ends by the U-shaped member 29 and supporting lugs E52 fixed to the'outer surface of the cylinder 48 (Fig. 2). In order to en age theshoe l2 and the buck structure ii, the motor 58 is energized to rotate the pump impeller 55 and therefore translate fluid under pressure from the reservoir to the cylinder 15. Pressure of the fluid within the cylinder 45 forces the cylinder &5 and the motor '53 downwardly in Opposition to the bias of the spring 61. This operation moves the shoeinto engagement with the buck structure, as described hereinafter, and pressure is maintained between these members by the continued operation of the pump. When the motor 58 is deenergized and operation of the impeller is terminated, the oil in the cylinder 45 flows backwardly through the impeller "55 and the inlet t? to the reservoir 5.! as the cylinder 45 is moved upwardly by the springs 61; During this movement of the The runner .is keyed or shown in. full lines in spring 63 upper end which bears on a ball 64 carried by the of the shaft 51. The spring 63 is supplate 52.

The apparatus for moving the shoe l2 from its position out of registry with the buck 22, as Fig. l, to its position in registry and in contact with the shoe, as shown in broken lines in the same view, will now be described. This apparatus includes a compression spring 65 interposed between the arm M and a bracket 66 secured to a stationary portion of the frame Hi. This compression spring 65 biases I the arm 4| about the pivot 43 counterclockwise, as best shown in Fig. 1, at all times. A pair of tension springs 61 carried by the U-shaped member 29 support, at their lower ends, the arm 4!, The tension springs 61 bias the arm M clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, about the pivot 43 at all times. In the position of the apparatus shown in solid lines, the moment produced by the spring 65 about the pivot 43 is greater than the moment produced by the tension springs 61 about the same pivot, so that the arm 4! and shoe position wherein the shoe I2 is out of registry with the buck '22. Counterclockwise movement of the arm 41 is limited in any suitable manner such as, for example, by means of a chain 68 connecting the arm ii to a lug 69 formed on the cylinder 48.

Upon energization of the motor 58, the pivot 43 is moved downwardly as described heretofore. During this downward movement of the pivot 43 and the arm M, the compression spring 55 becomes extended and the moment produced thereby about the pivot 43 becomes progressively less. Also, the tension springs 61 are extended so that the moment produced thereby about the pivot 43 is increased. During the early part of the range of movement of the pivot 43, as described, the moment produced by the springs 61 predominates and the arm 4| and shoe l2 are, therefore, swung clockwise from their position shown in solid lines to a position in registry with but above the buck 22. During the late portion of the range of move ment of the pivot 43 downwardly, the shoe I2 is moved in a direction normal to the surface of the buck 22 and into engagement with the buck 22, as shown in broken lines.

Deenergization of the motor provides upward movement of the pivot 43, as described, for the disengagement of the shoe l2 and the buck 22. This upward movement compresses the spring 65 so that its bias is progressively increased and shortens the tension springs 61 so that the bias thereof is reduced. During the early stages of this upward range of movement, the shoe 1.2 is disengaged from the buck 22, being moved in a direction normal "to the surface of the buck 22.

During the later stages of the upward range of I! are disposed in the 43, so that the shoe I2 is swung. counterclockwise from its position in registry with shoe is moved clear of and out of registry with the buck at this time, the rotatable buck structure may be adjusted to its various selective positions by the operator without coming in contact with the heated shoe.

Operation of the motor 58 is controlled by a switch H, normally disposed in its open position by means of 9, spring 12 and actuated to its closed position by a foot-operated button 13 (see Fig. 2). It will he understood that the switch H is connected in series with the motor 58. In order to prevent injury to the operator or damage to the mechanism during a manual adjustment of the buck structure to any of its selected positions, an interlock is provided which prevents closure of the switch H during periods when the buckretaining means is rendered inactive by the depression of the foot button 34. This interlocking of the motor control with the foot button 34 may be effected by an interlock lever 14, pivoted, at 75, beneath the foot plate I 8Vand having one of its ends 16 engaging the foot button 34 and its opposite end 17 arranged beneath the foot button 13. It will be apparent that when the button 34 is depressed to provide for an adjustment of the buck structure I I, the end '11 of the interlock lever 14 will be moved upwardly into engagement with the foot button 73 and prevent closure of the switch H.

The interlocking of the motor control and the buck control mechanism may be effected electrically, as shown in Fig. 3, wherein a second switch 18, normally biased to its closed position, is connected in series with the switch H. The switch 18 is opened when the foot button 34 is depressed. It will be apparent that when the foot button 34 is depressed for an adjustment of the buck structure II, the switch 18 is opened and, therefore, prevents energization of the motor 53. During all periods that the foot button 34 is in its elevated position or in the position obtaining when the buck structure H is in an operating position, control of the motor is elfected by opening and closing of the switch H.

During operation, the operator sits at the front of the machine where the control buttons 35 and 13 may be conveniently operated by the feet of the operator. The hands of the operator are free at all times to adjust the fabrics to be pressed on the buck selected for operation or to adjust the buck structure i I to its selective positions. Since the shoe i2 is automatically shifted to its positions in registry with the buck structure II and out of registry therewith, no manual operation of the shoe I 2 is required.

The construction of my improved multiple buck ironer, as disclosed, presents a pleasing appearance and may be readily manufactured. In this connection, the frame may be of relatively light construction since it only functions as a support for the pressing mechanism. The relatively high pressing pressures are confined to the rigid U support 29 and are not transmitted to the frame.

During operation, the operator usually collects and presses all of the flatwork on the buck 22 and then selectively moves the remaining bucks 23 to 25 into position for the pressing of tubular and complicated garments, which may be readily pressed since these bucks are properly shaped for such garments. During the entire operation, the

safety of the operator and the protection of the machine are safeguarded by the interlocking of the control buttons 34 and 73 as described.

While I have shown my invention in several forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire,

therefore, that only such limitations shall be are specifically set forth in placed thereupon as the appended claims. What I claim is:

1. In a multiplebuck presser, the combination of a plurality of bucks adjustableselectively to pressing positions, a shoe movable from an inactive position to a position in engagement with the selected buck, means for actuating the shoe to its position in engagement with the selected buck, and interlocking means associated with the bucks and said shoe-actuating means for preventing operation of the latter during adjustment of the bucks to their selective pressing positions.

2. In a pressing machine, the combination of a structure having a plurality of bucks spaced thereon and rotatably adjustable to a plurality of selective pressing positions, a shoe, actuating means for engaging and the buck selected for means including means for moving the shoe laterally, clear of the buck structure in order to permit rotation of the buck structure to its selective pressing positions, and means interlocking the buck structure and said actuating means for preventing operation of the latter when the buck structure is being adjusted between its se iective pressing positions.

3. In a machine for pressing fabrics, the combination of a turret structure having a plurality of bucks circumferentially spaced thereon and rotatable about a generally horizontal axis to a plurality of selective pressing positions, a shoe, power-actuated means for engaging and disengaging the shoe and the buck selected for operation, said power-actuated means including means for moving the shoe laterally out of registry with the turret structure during disengagement of the shoe and buck in order to provide clearance for the rotation of the turret structure to its various pressing positions, and interlocking means associated with the turret structure and the poweractuated means for preventing operation of the latter during rotation of the former to its selective pressing positions.

4. In a multiple buck presser, the combination of a rotatable turret, a plurality of bucks carried upon the turret and movable selectively into ressing position, a shoe movable between an inactive position and a pressing position in engagement with the selected buck means for retaining the turret in its selected position during operation of the shoe, manually-operated means for rendering the retaining means inactive during an adjustment of the turret to its selected positions, means for actuating the shoe to its pressing position and means for preventing operation of the shoe-actuating means during periods when said turret retaining means is rendered inactive by the manually-operated means.

5. In a pressing machine, the combination of a turret rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis, a plurality of bucks circumferentially spaced on the turret and movable therewith selectively disengaging the shoe and operation, said actuating means for rendering the retaining means ineffective during an adjustment of the turret,ashoe cooperating with the buck selected for operation, electrically-operated means for moving the shoe into and out of engagement with the buck, a switch controlling energizat-ion of the electrically-operated means and movable to a position wherein the electrically-operated means efiects engagement of the shoe and buck, and interlocking means for preventing operation of said electrically-operated means during periods when the manually actuated means is positioned to render the turret retaining means ineffective.

6. In a presser, the combination of a turret rotatable about a generally horizontal axis, a plurality of bucks carried by the turret and movable therewith selectively into pressing positions, means for retaining the turret in its selected position, a .shoe cooperating with the buck selected for operation, means biasing the shoe to a position out of engagement with the buck, motordriven means energizable for moving the shoe into engagement with the selected buck, a switch movable to a closed station for energizing the motor-driven means and a manually operated device for rendering said turret retaining means inactive during an adjustment of the turret and for preventing actuation of the switch to its closed station.

7. In a presser, the combination of a turret rotatable about a generally horizontal axis, a plurality of bucks carried by the turret and movable therewith selectively into pressing positions. means for retaining the turret in its selected position, a shoe cooperating with the buck selected for operation, means biasing the shoe to a position out of engagement with the buck, motor driven means energizable for moving the shoe into engagement with the selected buck, a first switch movable to a closed station for energizing the motor-driven means, manually operated means for rendering said turret retaining means inactive during an adjustment of the turret, and a normally closed second switch in series with the first-named, switch, said second switch being moved to an open position in response to operation of said manually operated means.

WILLIAM A. JOHNSTON.

REFERENCES CHTED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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